Folie A Deux
by theblackbirdsong
Summary: Marauder Era. In their final year at Hogwarts, Lily becomes captivated by the mystery surrounding James Potter and the Marauders "She'd blame it on the alcohol or perhaps a moment of madness the next day, but she threw her head back and howled too."
1. Chapter 1

Hey!

My first Harry Potter fic. I've become re-obsessed with the Harry Potter fandom and recently obsessed with the Jily and Dramione pairing. I have a dramione fic in the making too but this one just sort of came out of nowhere. This fic will start out light and will get a little darker. It is me after all. This chapter is a little shorter than what I plan to post but I wanted to get it out there. Finally, I know I'll butcher any UK slang so I'm just going to stick with what I know. Sorry if that's in anyway offensive to you guys. If it's really a problem, let me know and I'll try but bear with me. Anyway, I hope you enjoy it and I'd love to hear feedback! Enjoy your week!

much love

bbs

* * *

"Why?"

Peter Pettigrew tried subtly to place a hand over his barely contained grin, pleased to be part of the action but relieved not to be the object of the deputy headmistress' fury. Seemingly oblivious to their potential premature deaths, James Potter and Sirius Black sat casually in their seats, arms draped over the back and only one step away from placing their feet on Professor McGonagall's desk.

"Why what, Professor?"

Later, the Marauders would recall McGonagall's face turning a brilliant shade of Gryffindor red.

"Why in the world, Mr. Potter, did you and Mr. Black try to jump off the Hogwart's Express?"

Sirius moved to the edge of his seat, his eyes flashing,

"To achieve something no one has ever achieved before."

"Valiant effort if I may say."

Sirius flashed a winning smile at his friend and punched him in the shoulder, feigning embarrassment

"Stop it, James. You're making me blush."

In order to keep from murdering the two boys, she turned her attention to the fourth young man sitting low in his seat and looking far too exhausted for being seventeen. He stared up at the ceiling shaking his head,

"Mr. Lupin, please tell me that as Head Boy, you had nothing to do with this."

Remus Lupin sighed,

"Fortunately I was left out of this one."

"Thank Merlin for small mercies. You may leave and please stop by the hospital wing before joining Miss Evans in the Great Hall."

He stood up from his chair and the three remaining boys hid their concern has he limped out the door. Their friend's exit seemed to sober the group. The deputy headmistress cleared her throat

"50 points from Gryffindor for the both of you and detention every Friday evening until I say so."

The two boys looked like they had expected nothing less, standing up from their chairs. They wiped the invisible lint from their clothes and McGonagall resisted the urge to roll her eyes. They would force her into an early retirement. She was sure of it.

A sly smile spread across James' face but before he could speak, she interrupted

"I need you out of my office."

"Right.

…

Back in the Gryffindor common room, a group of first year girls stood around Lily Evans, asking nervous questions about life at Hogwarts. The fire roared brilliantly casting a golden glow on the Head Girl's face and wild red hair. They sipped on their hot chocolates and wrapped in blankets, enamored with the older girl as she patiently answered their questions and told them funny stories, her green eyes flashing. She even included Potter and his friends' antics which earned a laugh from both the younger and older students in the room. After having to deal with Potter and Black's latest adventure on the train, she practically begged for bed, but when the first years approached her with teary eyes and quivering chins, she was hooked

One more story after the intended last story, Lily found herself yawning and looked at the time. She grimaced when she saw how late is was. First night as Head Girl and she was already encouraging all-nighters.

Oops.

"Alright, alright. It's time for bed."

"But Lily!"

"Don't 'but Lily' me! I'll see you all in the morning and I can answer any questions before your first class then, alright?"

When she saw the tears threatening to return, her heart ached. She was a softie and it would be her downfall.

Smiling softly, she knelt and wiped the tears from the face of a particularly distraught girl who clutched her stuffed lion tightly before speaking to the group,

"As Gryffindors, we are always ready for adventure and I promise you, Hogwarts is the best one yet."

They watched her with their eyes shining and Lily stood up,

"And that adventure starts with putting on your pajamas. Off to bed!"

Each of them hugged her and said goodnight, running up the stairs and into their respective dorms. After telling the prefects to check in on them in a few minutes, Lily sighed with relief, grabbing her bag from off the ground and exiting through the portrait.

"A lioness protecting her cubs. I truly felt like I was watching a nature documentary, Evans."

Lily jumped and James stood off to the side of the corridor, laughing at her surprise. She cursed, running a hand through her red hair and shoot him a glare

"Oh shut the hell up, Potter. At least I didn't get my ass handed to me by the trolley witch."

This only made him laugh harder and even she had to crack a smile,

"I'm pretty sure Sirius shit himself when she came after us."

When she threw her head back, laughing, James watched her with an aching heart. Merlin, she was beautiful. He couldn't help the image of him reaching out and kissing her, but he sure as hell wouldn't act on it. The risk of her putting him out of commission for his last Quidditch season was too high. Lily stopped laughing, mischief gleaming in her eyes. The urge to kiss her hit him again

"So what do the four of you have planned for tonight?"

He raised an eyebrow at her,

"And how do you know we have something planned?"

She rolled her eyes,

"Oh please. It's our last first night at Hogwarts. Where's the party?"

His face stretched into a wide grin and pulled the bottle of Firewhiskey from behind his back

"Partying on the first night of being Head Girl? What would Dumbledore say?"

Smirking, Lily approached him and he felt his smile falter. Her face inches from his, he tried not to look at her lips. She felt smug watching his eyes widen in surprise

"I believed he'd say 'Please teach those boys how to drink for me, Miss Evans. Merlin knows they're all lightweights.'''

The grin on his face returned and Lily decided she liked this James Potter.

"Quidditch pitch in half an hour."

"See you then, Potter."

As he watched her leave, James knew he could never tell her that hidden under the invisibility cloak, he watched her the whole time, captivated by her facial expressions and the way her hair glowed in the fire light.

The guys hadn't planned on it being a bonfire but he suddenly felt inspired

* * *

Forty-five minutes later, Lily walked through the tall grass leading an already drunk Marlene McKinnon and a too-sober Alice Dearborne. The latter turned her head in every direction of every noise and shadow accompanied by a "what was that?" "did you hear that?". Lily smirked, unperturbed by the sights and sounds around the old castle.

"Constant vigilance, Alice. You'll make a terrific Auror."

"Oh shove it, Lily. The grounds are fucking creepy at night."

Marlene stumbled over her feet and Lily looped an arm with her, the Quidditch pitch finally in view.

"Where's Severus, Lily?"

She smirked

"I'm sorry to say that Hogwarts' biggest party animal won't be attending this evening"

In truth, she had practically begged him to come with her but he gave her a definite "no" as soon as the word "Potter" came out of her mouth. She couldn't blame him, however. James and his friends were complete assholes to him. It was also for this reason that she felt guilty going to a party hosted by his tormentors. Severus insisted she went though, shooing her away with Marley and Alice as he read through a potions books.

They walked through the women's locker room and the scene opened up to a bonfire surround by at least twenty Gryffindors, ten Ravenclaws, seven Hufflepuffs, and even a few Slytherins. They talked in groups, holding cups and bottles while music played over an enchanted speaker. The three girls joined Frank Longbottom and three other Gryffindors. Lily took a sip of her drink and watched as Sirius Black stood on a chair gesturing wildly while James Potter doubled over with laughter. She must've stared too long because Sirius caught her,

"Evans! Where is your lap dog?"

The group laughed and Lily scowled,

"I'm surprised you could see with your head so far up Potter's ass."

The group laughed again and Sirius seemed unbothered, smiling widely while James spoke up, feigning insult

"Hey my head is just as far up his!"

"Aww mate you sure know how to make a guy feel special."

"I'm just trying to get you in bed."

"It's working."

The group erupted into laughter again and James locked eyes with Lily, his wide smile crinkling his eyes. She shook her head and turned her back on them. On one side, a Ravenclaw boy named Owen whispered something in Marley's ear and she clung to his shirt while she laughed. On her other side, Alice and Frank talked quietly and Lily turned away when she saw him tuck a tendril behind Alice's ear and lean in for a kiss. She turned towards the fire, the animals of each house dancing in the flames.

Suddenly her eyes caught her Co-Head sitting on the other side of the spectacle. His arms rested on his knees as he toyed with an empty bottle in one hand, his tired eyes watching his friends dance wildly. She grabbed another bottle and walked over, sitting next to him. She handed him a bottle

"Some role models we are."

He smiled and grabbed the bottle from her.

"We can start over tomorrow."

They tapped their bottles in agreement, sitting in comfortable silence as they drank. Lily had always quite liked Remus Lupin. Unlike James and Sirius, he didn't actively seek out trouble, nor did he encourage it like Peter. She tried not to wonder at the scars on his gentle face or worry at his obvious exhaustion, but, although she'd never admit it, she was annoyingly curious. Perhaps nosey.

"How was your summer, Lupin?"

He paused for a moment and Lily wondered if the mysterious Remus Lupin would divulge one of his secrets. Instead, he looked back at his friends meaningfully.

"It's good to be back."

Sirius howled and James joined in, followed by Peter. Finally, to Lily's surprise, Remus joined in. He nudged her with a smile. She'd blame it on the alcohol or perhaps a moment of madness the next day, but she threw her head back and howled too."

* * *

"Pass me the coffee as quietly as you can."

Lily pushed the pot across the table, towards Marley who rested her head on the table, her eyes squeezed shut

"Now please pour me a cup and gently hold it up to my mouth…"

Alice reached over the blonde's cup and grabbed the pot, filling her own mug

"Honestly Marley have some dignity."

"Alice, your voice can stop anytime now."

Lily snorted and looked back at her Potions book, biting into a piece of toast. She had it first period with Severus and wished she would've just read last night.

Last night.

She smiled. No she wouldn't trade that memory for the world. She owed Potter for telling her about it even if she did have to pry it out of him.

"Morning!"

Sirius plopped down next to her, reaching over her book and bumping into her arm to grab a large chocolate muffin. James sat across from her and winked before smothering jam on a piece of toast. Remus sat next to James, cracking open his potions book while Peter stuffed two pastries in his mouth and greeted the group before sitting down.

James poured his coffee,

"Was last night as good for you ladies as it was for us?"

"We wish it would've lasted longer," Lily took a sip of her coffee, still staring at her book, "Although I'm sure you're used to hearing that."

Sirius roared with laughter and slapped her on the back, earning irritated looks from the hungover students of Hogwarts. She smirked when she saw James nearly spit out his coffee. Remus smiled down at his book and shook his head.

She turned around when she felt a tug at her robe. Six first years stood behind her with wide eyes,

"Lily, where is Intro to Transfiguration?"

"Will you help me tie my tie?"

"I've already lost my wand."

"I think…I may have eaten my ingredients for potions today."

"Are there wolves in the forest? We heard howling last night…"

The last question earned another round of laughter and the younger students turned bright red. Lily shot her friends a look and turned back to the growing crowd of first years. A million questions hit her at once and she felt the panic settling in. She heard James stand up behind her, figuring he would duck out of the situation. She didn't blame him one bit.

"Listen up! If you have no idea where you're going, raise your hand!"

About three fourths of the crowd raised their hands while Lily turned to see James Potter standing on the bench. He winked at her again and she blinked in confusion

"Alright then get prepared for the best tour of your life, courtesy of me, the James Potter and my good friend, Sirius Black."

"Oi, mate! I didn't-"

"We might miss our first class but it's a sacrifice we are willing to make."

Sirius hopped on the bench,

"Get ready for the thrill of unnecessary moving stairwells and classrooms with no windows! Tour leaves now."

The first years looked at Lily for affirmation and she nodded. They followed the two boys out, laughing at their absurdity. Lily found herself smiling as she helped the remaining few with their ties before they ran out to join the tour. Peter frowned and looked to Remus

"Hey, how come we never got a tour?"


	2. Chapter 2

Thank you to those who are following this story and also to any people who give this story a chance! Another into-ish chapter. I hope you like it!

Wisdomsqueen: Thank you! I have so much fun writing these characters and their interactions with each other.

TrueHomiePiP: I'm glad I reeled you in ;) I made Remus the Head Boy for a specific reason that will become clearer in the next couple chapters. There is a reason though! Thanks for reviewing!

Much love

bbs

* * *

"You would've hated every second of it but I wish you would've been there, Sev."

Severus Snape glanced at her out of the corner of his eye, leaning close to the cauldron as he carefully added two drops of unicorn saliva to their nearly finished potion. They watched as it went from a cloudy blue color to molten silver. She was just close enough that he could smell the bonfire on her hair from the night before.

"How thoughtful of you, Lily."

She laughed and continued cutting the dried mandrake root. The door to the classroom swung open and in walked a grinning James Potter and Sirius Black. Professor Slughorn frowned at the two boys who didn't look the least bit sorry they were late for his class. They joined Peter and Remus at the desks behind Lily and Severus. She glanced at her partner who visibly tensed when the two walked in. She tugged his sleeve, tearing his thoughts away from the two boys as he looked into her eyes

"The Black Lake after classes?"

"Evans! I got your first years to their classrooms safe and sound."

She moved her body to block Severus from their view. James found this amusing because while Lily Evans was a rather tall girl, she was nowhere near James' and Sirius towering height. The memory of her throwing her head back and howling lingered in his mind. He remembered watching her afar, warm from the Firewhiskey, imagining running his fingers through her red hair, his lips on the smooth skin of her neck…

"Thank you."

James blinked at her

"Sorry?"

With a dismissive hand gesture, she turned back around to add the diced ingredients to her cauldron

"Don't make me say it again, Potter."

The James and Peter exchanged a look and the latter shrugged. James smiled at Lily's back

"Anytime."

* * *

Lily took one last bite of her apple and threw it into the lake A tentacle came out of the water lazily and then dragged the apple core back under its depths. She wiped her mouth on her sleeve and laid back on the shore, blocking the sun with her hand as she squinted up at her closest friend,

"What are your plans after Hogwarts?"

Severus threw the rest of his apple in the water and laid back next to her, painfully aware how close his hand was to hers.

"Something in potions, I guess."

Lily grinned

"A teacher?"

Severus snorted

"Could you imagine?"

She deepened her voice in a horrible imitation of him

"Students, turn to page 394."

"That sounded nothing like me."

She erupted into giggles and he gave a rare smile, relishing this time with her. Suddenly her face was hovering above his and his heart leapt.

"But really. What do you want to be?"

Her long hair fell into his mouth and eyes and he made a sputtering noise, wiping the red hair away.

"I can't answer with your bloody hair in my mouth."

She leaned away and poked him in the side

"Stop being a baby and just answer the question."

He closed his eyes, the sun warm on his face.

 _I don't care. As long as you're there._

A terrified scream pierced the air and he shot up. Lily looked towards the Forbidden Forest and before Severus could stop her, she took off, sprinting towards the source

"Lily, stop!"

She drew her wand, her muscles burning as she followed the sound of the scream. About fifty meters into the forest, she ran into someone. The shorter person fell to the ground and Lily recognized the dark-haired girl as a sixth year, Mary McDonald. Behind her stood a sixth year Hufflepuff boy, face white as a ghost. The older girl picked her off the ground, staring into the frantic girl's eyes, her voice calm and strong

"What happened?"

Tears ran down the girls cheeks,

"We were just taking a walk when we saw…Something tore it apart. There's so much blood…"

She pointed them to the castle,

"Go get a teacher. Fast."

They nodded and took off and Lily walked slowly towards the clearing, her heart pounding and her wand steady. Sticks snapped under her feet and she no longer heard the gentle song of birds. She smelled it, the sickly scent of death.

When she saw it, she froze, lowering her wand

At first glance, she thought it was a human, its lower half laying several yards from its human torso. Its insides spilled out of it, spread across the bloody grass. The centaur's eyes stared blankly at the treetops, its throat and chest torn open messily.

"Lily!

Severus pulled her into his arms and turned her away from the scene. She gripped him tightly, grateful for his familiarity. He felt his stomach churn, returning her tight embrace. She squeezed her eyes shut. As gory as the scene was, it was the eyes that got her. They empty eyes forever holding the image of a monster.

* * *

After answering Dumbledore's questions, Lily retreated to the library. Severus had insisted he'd stay with her but she had wanted to be alone. She'd be lying if she said she wasn't avoiding Marlene and Alice. She had no desire to gossip about the event; she wanted to forget it. She walked along the isles and up a staircase to the second floor of the library, heading towards her favorite table in the back. She had found it her third year over Christmas break when she was still naïve enough to think she could explore every inch of Hogwarts. She ran her hand along the dusty spines of the books, until she found the one she was looking for. She pulled it out and stuck her hand in the shelf, stopping when she felt a glass bottle.

She pulled it out from its hiding spot, staring down at the bottle of muggle whiskey before screwing off the top and taking a long sip. She didn't make a habit of drinking by herself, but she figured it would be okay to make an exception.

"Already hitting the bottle, Evans?"

She wiped her mouth on her sleeve, her throat still burning

"Bugger off, Potter. I've had a rough day."

She slid down the bookcase and sat on the floor, taking another sip. James watched her with concern wondering exactly what you say to someone who found a mutilated centaur just hours before. When he found out about her running through the Forbidden Forest towards the danger, he was furious. Without thinking, he found her on the map and went searching for her. He had prepared to yell at her. Instead he sat next to her. Even he could tell yelling wasn't what she needed from him right now.

He was surprised when she didn't order him to leave and instead offered him the bottle. He held it up to the dim light, examining its amber contents before taking a sip and finding that he liked it. He handed the bottle back to her, their fingers brushing

Lily thought it was wasn't that terrible of a feeling

"It's muggle whiskey," she paused, "How'd you find this place?"

She turned to face him for his answer and found their faces only inches apart. James felt the map burning in his pocket, but his grin was easy

"Here? I know all the best snogging places at Hogwarts."

Something like anger flared in Lily

"Do NOT snog in my spot."

"Oh is this your snogging spot?"

Lily blushed but she blamed the whiskey. She gestured towards the area

"No! It's just my spot."

James shrugged, taking the bottle from her and felt relieved that this wasn't where she made out with guys that were not him

"I don't see your name on it."

Lily stuck out her arm, almost knocking him in the face, and pointed at the table,

"On that table, carved in the lower left hand corner, is 'Lily Evans'. Mine."

James laughed and handed her the bottle. Lily took another sip to hide her smile. His arm was warm against hers and she leaned into it

"Alright then the table is yours for snogging but the room is a shared space."

"You're infuriating."

He looked at her, smelling pine and sweat through her perfume from her run through the forest. He imagined her lips would taste like salt and whiskey if he closed the small gap between them.

Her stomach growled loudly and Lily groaned with embarrassment. James laughed and stood up, holding out a hand to her,

"Come on, you crazy woman. We're going to the kitchens."

Lily grabbed it and he pulled her up. She held up the bottle

"Can I bring this?"

"Obviously, Evans. I'm not bringing you for the company."

She hit him, wondering if she would always have to be slightly intoxicated to enjoy his presence this much.

* * *

She shouldn't have been surprised to see Sirius, Remus, and Peter in the kitchens, but she found herself hiding the bottle behind her back. Remus smiled widely, lighting his pale face up. Lily thought he was very handsome when he smiled like that

"I thought we were starting over today?"

She held out the bottle to him,

"Please take a drink so I don't feel so pathetic."

He grabbed it from it from her, taking a sip

"Always here to help."

Sirius stepped forward, arms crossed

"Well Evans I hope you're alright with being fifth wheel. You're kinda ruining our double date and Peter does NOT like to share."

Peter stopped eating his sandwich and swallowed

"I can share James with you, Lily."

"You're a bloody traitor, Peter."

Lily laughed, feeling deliciously warm. A heaping plate of food was shoved in her face and her stomach growled again. She grabbed the plate from James' hand and sat on the ground, digging in. James smiled softly and caught Sirius' eye who gave him a knowing look. He shrugged and joined her on the kitchen tile.

An hour later they were on the floor of the kitchens laughing, tears streaming down their faces. The bottle sat empty on the ground, knocked over by a flying limb. Lily was gasping for air next to James. He gripped his stomach laughing thinking he was quite possibly the luckiest person on Earth to have these people as his friends. He turned his head to Lily who started giggling again.

Definitely the luckiest.

* * *

"She's going to murder us."

Lily Evans was not light but James would carry her all the way back to the Head dorms if it was the last thing he did. Her head lolled against his chest, her hair tickling his chin. Remus held the map under the light of Peter's wand.

"She's not gonna… Professor Binns is heading this way. Hide!"

The five of them ducked into classroom waiting until the dot moved away from them on the map. Sirius shook his head

"Bless this fucking map. We are geniuses, lads."

James gently adjusted Lily in his arms and she mumbled something. He carefully moved a piece of hair from her face. Peter leaned over and he jerked his hand away.

"You know, she's not so scary when she's asleep."

She snuggled closer to his chest and he felt his heart beat wildly. He'd disagree.

Finally they arrived at the Head dorms and Remus led them into the common room. A dark brown leather couch, love seat, and recliner with deep red and gold pillows and thick throw blankets. Although with the way the carpet felt underneath his feet, he imagined the furniture wasn't entirely necessary. A fire roared in the corner, an enormous ancient clock hanging above it. The mural above them moved with a pacing lion, soaring raven, slithering snake, and curious badger interwoven with intricate designs and colors.

James laid her gently on the couch, laying one of the blankets over her. He sat on the floor next to her and found he was right about the carpet. Sirius sat in the recliner and whistled,

"Bloody Hell, Remus. You've been holding out on us."

Remus sat next to Peter on the love seat,

"I believe when Miss Evans and I moved in she said her only rule was that this was a James and Sirius-free zone'."

Sirius leaned in towards Lily's sleeping face,

"That was hurtful."

James threw a pillow at him

"Let her sleep."

Remus frowned,

"She's had a bit of a day, hasn't she?"

For a minute the only sound was the crackling fire and Lily's soft snores. Peter was the one who broke the silence

"What do you think did it?"

Remus ran a hand through his hair

"Couldn't have been a werewolf. There wasn't a full moon last night."

"Thank you, Moony. Your keen sense of observation, once again, astounds us all."

Another pillow was launched at Sirius who grabbed it and tucked it under his head while he hugged the one James threw at him to his chest

"You're just hurting yourselves throwing all the pillows at me."

Remus stood up, stretching while Peter grabbed a blanket and tried to fit on the smaller couch

"Right. So I assume you guys are sleeping here. Good luck explaining that to Evans when she wakes up," he paused in the doorway, "I think until whatever killed the centaur in the forest is caught, maybe it's best you guys don't come with me…"

"Shut up, Moony."

"Oh fuck off, Moony."

"Seriously mate."

Remus smiled sadly, knowing he didn't deserve his friends but was happy to have them. With a flick of his wand, the lights went out.

"Piss off. All of you."

* * *

Something nudged James in the shoulder and he swatted at it, covering his face with his blanket

"Five minutes."

The nudge came again

"Seriously Padfoot. Fuck off."

One last nudge and James picked up his pillow and swung it at the nuisance

"Ow, Potter!"

He sat up startled, fumbling with his glasses. The face looking at him was no longer a blur but rather a very clear, very amused Lily. A blanket hung over her shoulders and her long was pushed to one side. Her green eyes were sleepy but sparkled with mischief.

"Oh that didn't hurt, you big baby."

She stopped herself from reaching out and touching the pillow imprint on his face and whacked him with one instead,

"What are you doing in my room?"

James ran a hand through his hair, hoping it didn't look too wild. He smirked

"Your room? I don't see your name on it."

Lily smiled and pointed to the name plate on the wall reading "Head Girl: Lily Evans". James pointed to the one right below it that read "Head Boy: Remus Lupin".

"This is a shared space, Evans."

She rolled her eyes when she felt a sudden sinking feeling

"Oh no…How did I get back last night?"

"I threw you over my shoulder like a sack of potatoes and carried you back here."

James watched as she dropped her head into her hands

"Horribly embarrassing."

"Evans," her green eyes peeked from behind her hands, "I'm joking. You walked back."

She collapsed against the couch, breathing a sigh of relief

"Oh thank Merlin."

He thought of the feeling of her in his arms and how she had huddled close to him. She was much too far from him now. He stood up from his spot on the floor,

"Thanks for letting us sleep here last night."

"Us? Did Remus break my 'No Sirius' rule?"

"I thought it was 'No Sirius or Potter'?"

She smiled

"It's my rule to change, is it not?"

James smiled back, walking backwards to the door

"Right you are. See you later."

"James," He wanted to ask her to say it again, wanted to watch her lips as she said it. He wanted to hear her yell it, whisper it, cry it out, again and again, "Thank you for everything. I needed that."

"I'd get drunk and have a picnic on the floor with you anytime, Evans."

He left the room and didn't hear her say his name again, just to remember how it felt on her lips.

…


	3. Chapter 3

Hey guys!

I hope everyone had a good weekend and that the beginning of the week didn't kick your ass too hard. Anyways, I hope you enjoy the update! :)

much love

bbs

bookobsessedpooj: I'm excited to be getting to delve deeper into these characters and this story. I hope I can meet your expectations! Thanks for reviewing!

Also thanks to the two guests who reviewed!

* * *

Severus worked at the far end of the Slytherin common room at an old desk next. Next to him there was a small porthole window to the Black Lake that cast a shadow over his parchment every time a merperson swam by. He liked this small corner of the room. The sheer opulence of the Slytherin dungeons had always made him feel a little out of place.

A burst of laughter forced him to look up.

At the center of the room, Regulus Black, Nathan Mulciber, Cassius Avery, and Evan Rossier sat comfortably on the large leather couches. Narcissa Black sat next to her cousin, talking with some other pureblood princess in his year. An emerald engagement ring sparkled on her left hand, a gift from Lucius Malfoy who would marry her as soon as she graduated.

He was grateful the older boy was no longer there. The looks the couple gave each other were nauseating.

Another round of laughter filled the room and he scowled as his quill scratched across his parchment. He envied how at ease they were amongst each other while he never felt the tension leave his back. Lily had teased him saying it always looked like he was waiting for something bad to happen. And perhaps he was.

"Snape."

He glanced up from his parchment and saw Mulciber and Avery standing side by side, he continued working. Behind them, he caught a glimpse of Regulus Black's grey eyes watching them

He forced himself to sound unbothered

"What do you want?"

Avery approached and sat himself on the edge of Severus' deck, crinkling some of this parchment. He scowled at him but the other boy just smirked.

"Heard you are quite inventive with spells. Care to share?"

He set down his quill, forcing his black eyes to stare at the two boys with boredom

"Care to fuck off?"

With surprising speed, Mulciber had the end of his wand pointing at Severus' neck. Avery shook his head with disappointment and stared at him with piercing blue eyes

"Is this how you treat your brothers, Snape?

Severus' voice turned venomous,

"We are not brothers."

Avery's hand gently pushed Mulciber's wand away from his neck,

"But we could be."

For a moment the hatred in Severus' eyes faltered. This had been, in the deepest, farthest corner of his heart, what he had wanted. Lily was irreplaceable, his closest dearest friend. She was everything he wasn't: beautiful, kind, and brave. Merlin, he wanted her in every sense of the word. But there was something to be envied amongst the group of the boys in his House. Avery, Mulciber, Rosier, and Black were all a part of pureblood families and made a habit of reminding others of this. Lucius Malfoy had graduated the previous year, leaving a gaping hole in the group. The offer felt too good to be true

He desperately prayed the eagerness didn't show on his face as he closed his book,

"I have a few."

Mulciber and Avery exchanged a glance and their smiles were friendly for the first time,

"Now?"

Severus nodded and stood from his seat, casually swinging his bag over his shoulder. Avery motioned towards the leather couches and Black and Rosier walked over

For the first time since he was sorted into Slytherin, Severus felt like one of the powerful few as he led the four boys away from the others in the common room

* * *

"Damn I'm good. Pay up bitches."

Lily, Marley, and Dorcas Meadowes grumbled as they pushed their chips towards Alice.

"Thank you for being such gracious losers, ladies. My pockets enjoy the extra weight."

Dorcas leaned back and crossed her toned arms,

"Can we play a game that Alice sucks at now?"

Alice seemed unbothered as she made a show of collecting her winnings. Lily laughed and grabbed the stack of muggle cards, shuffling them absentmindedly. The Gryffindor Keeper stood from her chair and stretched,

"Alright I'm going to bed. I got practice in the morning."

Lily glanced at the clock on the wall and stood up quickly,

"Shit. I have rounds in five minutes. See you at breakfast!"

After leaving her friends she stopped by the Head dorms and tossed her bag in her room just in time for the prefect on duty to knock on her door. The Hufflepuff walked back to his dorm and Lily walked along the familiar corridors, quietly humming to herself and wishing the paintings a good night. She walked through the Great Hall, the stars twinkling above her.

She did her usual route and caught a group of second year Hufflepuffs sneaking around. She took a few points away and walked them back to their dorms. They had reminded her of Potter and his friends and she had found herself smiling.

She became increasingly unsettled as she neared the dungeons and she was glad no one was there to see her hesitation. It was a bit embarrassing.

Finally she descended the steps, the wand's light guiding her way. Up ahead she heard whispers coming from a classroom. She nudged the door open with her shoulder

"What are you doing out of bed?"

She was met with Mulciber, Avery, Rosier, and Black speaking casually with Severus Snape. Her wand pointed at the other four boys and she noticed the first three reach for theirs as well.

She gave a quick glance at the four other boys before looking back at her friend.

"Everything alright in here?"

Regulus pushed himself away from the wall he was leaning on and Lily watched him carefully,

"Don't worry your pretty little head. We're just talking."

"You can talk in your common room."

Severus felt his heart beating wildly in his chest as he glanced between the two. It was no secret that the other four boys hated Muggle-borns and the tension in the room was suffocating.

A charming smile slid across the younger Black's face and Lily thought he looked strikingly like Sirius,

"Right you are Miss Evans."

The other three boys scowled at her. She glanced at Severus once more. He silently begged her to leave,

"I'll let you show yourselves out."

Surprise flickered across each of their faces but only for a moment. They had expected house points to be taken away and detentions to be given but the Head Girl said nothing as Regulus brushed past her followed by Rosier, Avery, and Mulciber. Severus lingered behind. Lily walked towards him and he hated the concern in her eyes,

"Are you sure everything's alright? I can…"

"Everything's fine."

Her eyes flickered over his face and she relaxed,

"Okay," she glanced at the door and lowered her voice, "Be careful around them, Sev."

He rolled his eyes

"You should go."

She nodded and followed him out of the room, the other four boys waiting patiently in the hallway. Despite her friend's ease around the group of Slytherins, Lily felt an incredible mistrust towards them. They were rumored to be Death Eater recruits and if this was true, it did not bode well for her.

They made her feel on edge and Lily always trusted her instincts.

She walked past them, her wand gripped in her hand and heard Black's voice travel along the stone walls

"You shouldn't be wandering the dungeons alone, little Gryffindor. It's not safe."

Lily waited until she was out of sight to start running, but when she did, she didn't stop until she reached the portrait to her common room. As soon as it opened, she stepped in and closed it quickly, her knuckles white from gripping her wand. Closing her eyes, she rested her head against the back of the portrait and exhaled.

"Are you alright?"

She jumped and turned around to see Remus sitting on the couch with a concerned look on his face

"What? Yeah. I'm fine. Just…I'm fine."

She gave him an unconvincing smile, tucking her wand back into robes. Her shaking hand didn't go unnoticed by him.

"If you say so. Just let me know if you need anything…"

She nodded and walked over to the recliner and sat down, finding his presence oddly comforting

"What are you still doing up?"

Remus frowned and grabbed a goblet from the side table, taking a long sip. She looked at it curiously, recognizing it as one from Slughorn's supplies. He resisted making a disgusted face as he swallowed it

"Not feeling very well so I bothered Pomfrey for some sleeping potion."

Lily knew it wasn't the entire truth but he had accepted her lie so she would accept his.

"Can I do anything to help?"

A moment passed and he looked away in embarrassment,

"Could you help me to my room? I don't have the energy…"

Lily stood up from the chair and walked over to him. He looked up at her with a sad smile, his skin flushed from whatever illness plagued him. She held out a hand and he looked at it. A wicked grin crossed her face

"Come on now, I don't bite."

Remus' laugh was loud and sudden, making her grin wider. He grabbed her hand and that handsome smile crossed his face once again,

"But perhaps I do."

She lifted him from the couch and led him to his room. With a flick of his wand, he lit the room. Unsurprisingly it was filled with books stacked in every which way. Robes laid scattered on the floor and Lily noticed that some were torn. Lupin kicked them away and scratched the back of his head self-consciously,

"It's a little messy."

Lily laughed, thinking of her own messy room

"Oh you should see mine. This pales in comparison."

She noticed the moonlight peeking through the curtains. It was a beautiful view with the Black Lake sparkling underneath

"It's almost a full moon. Just a few more days I think."

Lupin turned away from her, gathering a few of the robes off the ground and tossing them in the laundry bin.

"Four more days."

"See you in the morning."

"Goodnight, Evans."

When she left the room, Remus walked to the curtains and closed them violently.

* * *

As the five boys exited the corridor and walked into their common room, Severus braced himself their torment. Without a doubt, they would kick him out for being friends with the Muggle-born Gryffindor.

As soon as the door closed, Regulus clapped his hands together, his face lit with excitement. Severus thought this made him look disturbingly similar to his obnoxious older brother although he'd never, ever say that to him. That would be practically asking for an Unforgivable.

"This is brilliant!"

Avery, Mulciber, and Rosier looked at him curiously but said nothing. Despite being the youngest, Regulus was the undisputed leader of the group in Lucius Malfoy's absence. Severus thought that it might have had something to do with him being the cousin of Malfoy's girlfriend, but that was another thing Severus would never bring up. Black approached Severus, grabbing his shoulders

"You have the Mudblood wrapped around your fucking finger. We could use this to our advantage."

He tried not to flinch at the ugly word. After all, it was just a word. Sticks and stones and all that.

The other three seemed to have caught onto the implication. Avery clapped him on the back, smiling proudly

"I knew we were right to choose you."

Severus tried to remember the last time someone besides Lily smiled at him like that. It felt good.

They had chosen him. Out of all the other purebloods in their house, they had seen something in him and they had wanted it. He couldn't stop the grin on his face.

Regulus collapsed on the couch

"I'm not going to lie. I had my doubts. But as long as Snape is with us, the Mudblood can't touch us."

There was that word again. Mulciber laughed

"The look on her face when she left…"

They all laughed and Severus joined in, although less enthusiastically.

Rosier shook his head,

"A shame about her blood. Evans is pretty hot."

"The things I'd do to her…"

"We still could. It's not like you'd have to marry the bitch…"

Severus grabbed the front of Mulciber's robes, his black eyes flashing with more emotion than what any of the other Slytherins had seen from him

"Don't talk about her like that."

A hand settled on his shoulder and his anger faded. He released the other boy's robes and Regulus addressed the group.

"Evans obviously belongs to Snape. He's our brother now and we do not steal from our brothers."

The three other boys relaxed and Mulciber's twisted face turned into something like shame. Severus felt himself relax under the hand that never left his shoulder. He was immensely grateful for the younger boy's interference.

Black's face turned into a smile, the icy look long gone,

"I wouldn't want to share either if I were him either."

The group laughed again and Severus smiled, hoping he didn't look too nervous. Perhaps a friendship with these boys could actually help Lily.

He felt the smile come easier.

* * *

James closed his locker, the other boys on the team finishing up their showers on the other side of the wall. He ran a towel through his hair and heard Gideon Prewett's voice from the showers

"Hey Black! Team members only!"

"Relax, Prewett. I didn't come here to look at your tiny dick."

James snorted, turning to meet his friend. Sirius was grinning widely,

"There's dick I was looking for!"

Shaking his head, James sat on the bench and put on his socks, carefully avoiding the wet floor. Sirius sat next to him, lowering his voice,

"We gotta talk about this Saturday. If the game runs late…"

"I'll meet you guys at the shack as soon as it's over."

"Just didn't want you to get all sad if we left early."

"I mean I'll probably cry still."

"Typical."

The locker room emptied and Sirius looked at James

"Moony is worried about whatever tore that poor bastard apart."

James tied his last shoe and put his feet on the ground, running a hand through his wet hair,

"I'm not exactly thrilled by it either."

They sat in silence, thinking before Sirius sighed

"And I heard its favorite food is deer…"

James shoved him off the bench and Sirius laughed and then groaned when he realized he was sitting in a puddle. He grabbed James' offered hand and was pulled up.

"Is that what you came all the way here for to tell me?"

"Well that and the Slytherin team has practice after you guys and I wanted to leave a good luck present in my dear brother's locker."

"Aww cute."

Sirius scanned the locker numbers and stopped at the one on the far end, throwing a motion-activated dung bomb in it before slamming it closed

"The cutest."

The rest of the team filed out and the two Marauders lagged behind. Just ahead, they could make out the Slytherin team. Regulus stood at the front, his expression cold as he approached Sirius and James.

The younger Black looked much like his older brother only with shorter hair, not a strand out of place. He was every bit as attractive only sharper and more refined in comparison to Sirius rugged and easy good looks. He was shorter by a couple inches but years of playing Seeker kept him lean.

James' hand twitched near his wand in his pocket, watching Mulciber and Avery do the same.

Fights between the two brothers were never pretty.

"We seem to have developed a habit of running into stray Gryffindors."

"Fuck off, Regulus."

The Slytherin team laughed and Avery looked to his captain,

"Though these are not quite as pleasant the Mudblood last night."

James felt his stomach drop as Regulus' lips turned to a cruel smile,

"Ah yes Miss Evans was a delight, wasn't she?"

Sirius grabbed the front of his brother's robe, his face twisted with anger.

"If you touched her…"

Regulus snarled and shoved his brother away

"As if I'd touch the filthy Mudblood."

The shove was enough to send Sirius' fist into his brother's face. Regulus staggered and threw himself into Sirius, throwing his brother to the ground and hitting him in the jaw. James charged Regulus, knocking him off his friend. He grabbed the front of Regulus' robes,

"Don't call her that ever again."

He was pulled off of the boy by two Slytherin teammates and he fought in their grasp until Mulciber's giant meaty fist met his face. His mouth filled with blood and he spat at the Slytherin

The punch to his stomach knocked the wind from him and he was thrown to the ground. A foot stepped on his hand as he reached for his wand on the ground and he cursed. Regulus's voice came from above

"Don't let us catch her alone again."

He ground his foot into James' hand before he walked off, leaving Sirius and James laying beaten in the grass

Sirius rolled onto his back, grimacing at the pain in his ribs. James sat up, clutching his broken hand and looked down at his friend

"You okay, mate?"

He groaned as he sat up,

"I think the little shit broke my ribs."

James glanced at his friend who wiped the blood from his face that his own brother spilled. He knew that despite what his friend said, it killed him that his only brother acted the way he did. Sirius' love was unconditional for Regulus even if it was buried underneath so much hurt.

They sat there for a moment watching the sun set. The Quidditch pitch lit up and they watched the silhouettes of the players flying across orange and pink sky

"The things he was saying…"

James winced, but felt another swell of anger towards the Slytherin.

"Yeah I know."

"I think it's too late for him, Prongs."

He could hear the heartache behind the statement. They hadn't talked about it much lately but they knew Regulus was a Death Eater. He and his friends had been poisoned with hatred. James forced himself off the ground and offered Sirius his unbroken hand.

"Come on, Moony'll fix us up."

Sirius grabbed it and grunted in pain,

"I hope he smells like that dung bomb for weeks."

…


	4. Chapter 4

As always, thank you for reading and reviewing. I'll respond to the reviews in my next update but for now, I just need to get this out there. Sorry I haven't updated in a bit. I had my first grad school midterms and studying for those took all my time and I just suck in general. Anyways, enjoy!

Much love

BBS

* * *

Students flooded into Transfiguration, claiming their seats for the rest of the year. Lily burst through the doorway and rushed to the table by the window, throwing her bag in the chair next to her. She sat down and smiled at the two Ravenclaw boys she had raced for the coveted spot

"Maybe next time."

They smiled back at her, straightening their robes from their sprint through the corridors.

"Just wait until Charms, Lily. The window seat will be ours."

Lily winked,

"We'll see, Chang."

They left, looking for another table as Lily dug through her bag looking for a quill and parchment. She looked up in time to see Severus walk through the door. He caught her eye and she gestured grandly at the desk, a proud smile on her flushed face. Everyone fought for that damned desk by the window. It was tradition.

He felt a smile tug at his lips as he started towards her,

"Snape!"

Lily and Severus looked across the room towards Avery who nodded towards the empty seat next to him. Severus glanced at Lily only once more and before changing direction and heading towards the other Slytherin. Her eyes didn't leave him as he sat down, the other boy slapping him on the back and pulling into conversation. She found herself able to swallow down the hurt as she watched Severus Snape actually chuckle. Evan Rossier entered the classroom and tossed an apple at Severus before sitting behind them. For once, her friend looked like he belonged

She still wanted to poke the asshole's eye out but she'd let it slide this time

Turning her attention to the window, she watched as owls swooped from the owlery and over the lake.

"Mind if I sit here, Evans?"

James smiled down at Lily as Peter and Sirius sat at the desk in front of them. She rested her chin in her palm and sighed,

"If you must."

"I must."

She rolled her eyes and dragged her bag off the chair. He sat down and ran a hand through his messy hair. Sirius and Peter turned in their seats to face her and James. Sirius grinned and rested his arms on the back of the chair

"Where's your pet?"

Lily waved her hand towards the other end of the room and James glanced over to see Snape sitting with Avery, Rossier, and Mulciber. Despite everyone's disapproval, Lily was close friends with the brooding Slytherin and now he seemed to be buddy-buddy with the same people who threatened her.

The further the creep stayed away from her, the safer she'd be.

He rocked back in his chair, balancing on the back legs

"He's in better company."

Lily swatted at him and he lost his balance. She quickly grabbed his robes, keeping him from bashing his stupid brains all over the ground. Sirius and Peter laughed at the look of terror on his face. He placed a hand over his heart

"Merlin Evans, are you trying to kill me?"

"Don't be a baby."

He stood from his chair, struggling to keep the smile off of his face

"I'm moving. I feel unsafe in this environment."

Lily laughed and pulled his arm, yanking him back into the seat. She was surprised by how much she wanted him to stay. She blushed as a grin spread across his face

"If you wanted me to stay, you could've asked. No need to resort to violence."

The other two boys laughed again and she felt her blush deepen

"You guys suck. Where's Lupin?"

Sirius smiled but it didn't quite reach his eyes

"Not feeling well. You're stuck with us."

Lily frowned, remembering how frail he had looked the night before as he studied in the common room. She offered to bring him supper but he gave her a small grateful smile and a "no thank you" before drinking the mysterious contents from the goblet. She made a mental note to check in on him later.

McGonagall walked into the room and Sirius and Peter turned around. She glanced at James, watching as he pushed his glasses back up the bridge of his nose. Her eyes traveled to his mouth and on the corner of his lip, she saw a small healing cut. His tongue briefly flicked over it.

She watched as those lips spread into a smile

"Quit staring, you creep."

She jerked her gaze to the front, wanting to sink into her chair and melt into the floor.

* * *

With tomorrow being the first Quidditch match of the season, the school was buzzing with excitement. At dinner, students from wizarding families explained the sport to the confused muggle born first years, Potter and his friends being the most animated of the bunch. Lily smiled remembering her first exposure to the game and her attempt to explain it to her parents back home. Petunia was a little less than impressed.

Dorcas sat down, her plate piled high with pasta and bread

"Gotta carb up for tomorrow."

"So that's where all the bread went."

Marley reached over and grabbed a roll from the Gryffindor keeper's plate before joining them. Lily dug into her own pasta and listened to her friend talk excitedly about the game tomorrow.

"Evans."

Lily turned to see James standing behind her, nervously shuffling his feet. She decided, and would never tell anyone ever, that he looked pretty adorable at that moment.

"Potter."

He ran a hand through his hair and held the other behind his back. He didn't think he'd ever been this nervous

"Listen…uhh…you know that stupid thing we do where we ask someone to wear our extra jersey during the game…of course you do duh…anyways, you don't have to but I thought I'd ask since we're friends and the whole point is to…you know…ask a pretty girl to wear it for you…since you're not entirely deformed and McGonagall said no…would you like to wear it? My jersey, I mean?"

James was utterly horrified by the words that just came out of his mouth. A few feet away, Sirius laughed loudly and Peter visibly cringed. He pulled the jersey from behind his back and Lily raised an eyebrow at him

"Since I'm not 'deformed'?"

She hadn't laughed or yelled at him so he took it as an encouraging sign and grinned

"Well not entirely."

Later she would swear up and down that she had no control over her hand as it reached up and took the offered jersey from him. She did, however, relish the look of complete surprise on his face when she did.

Her green eyes flashed as she smiled up at him

"Just don't embarrass me, Potter."

He winked and walked away, doing his best to pretend that his heart wasn't pounding out of his chest and that he wasn't soaring above the earth because Lily Freaking Evans said she'd wear his jersey. He wanted to jump in the air and cheer or something as equally as lame and embarrassing. Instead he went back to his two friends, grinning madly while they looked completely dumbfounded.

Lily turned back to her meal and continued eating her pasta, feeling the eyes of her classmates on her. A year ago, she would've strangled Potter with his own jersey and now she'd be sporting it in front of the whole school. Alice broke the silence

"Okay. So that happened."

Marley clapped her hands together,

"I, for one, am glad you two are finally getting along."

As she rolled her eyes at her friend, Lily couldn't help but agree with her. So far, James had been tolerable this year. Who was she kidding? He's been more than tolerable.

She smiled, feeling the stitched "Potter" on his jersey under her fingertips.

* * *

"I can't believe you agreed to that."

The sun decided to come out for the morning of the first Quidditch match of the season. The air was crisp and the wind whipped Lily's hair around like red ribbon. Students walked around the castle in groups enjoying the weather. Lily walked beside a grumpy Severus and threw her hands in the air

"It's just a bloody shirt!"

"But it's his shirt."

She knew he would be angry with her. Potter and his friends were the bane of his existence. Sighing, she looped her arm through his and he tried not to blush at her closeness. Lily had never been shy with her touch and even after all these years, it still flustered him to no end

"Sev, if you had a jersey, I'd wear it every fucking day but you don't so I'm stuck with this one."

He rolled his eyes but she saw his mouth twitch. They walked past Hagrid's hut and saw him outside chopping wood. Lily waved at him and even Severus gave an awkward wave. Hagrid waved his giant hand back with a grin.

They walked in a comfortable silence. Neither of them had been spending much time together lately and it was unusual for the duo.

At the edge of the forest four figures lounged under the trees. As Lily and Severus approached, she saw the handsome face of Regulus Black grinning at her. She was suddenly horribly embarrassed for running away the night she ran into them in the dungeons.

Mulciber's appreciative stare didn't go unnoticed by her and her skin crawled

She raised an eyebrow at him,

"Can I help you?"

Mulciber's eyes scanned over her body and grinned,

"No I'm good."

Before Lily could hex him, Regulus spoke, a charming smile spreading across his handsome face. Lily wasn't fooled by it

"I want to apologize for scaring you in the dungeons the other evening."

Next to her, Severus was so tense, she thought he'd snap. Lily returned an equally charming smile

"It's cute that you think you scare me. But thank you."

Even though the grin stayed on his face, she saw something flash in his eyes.

"Of course."

"Oi! Lily!"

She turned and saw Marley waving to her, dressed head to toe in red and gold next to Alice who wore a "Longbottom" jersey. Sirius trailed behind them, holding Peter in a headlock. Although she wished she had more time with Severus, she was grateful for the excuse to leave the other Slytherins.

She waved back and turned to Severus.

"Game's starting soon. Gotta get a good seat. I'll see you later?"

He nodded and before taking off, she turned towards the other four,

"Take care, boys."

Severus watched as she ran towards the group of Gryffindors. Avery shook his head

"The Mudblood is out of bounds."

Severus shrugged and joined them on the ground, hoping they'd drop it. Regulus watched the girl join his brother and his friends,

"Keep a tighter leash on her, Snape."

All he could do was nod as jealousy and hate filled him seeing the red letters spelling out "Potter" on the back of her retreating form.

* * *

Lily caught up with the group and noticed Sirius frowning at her. She sent him a questioning look before Marley assaulted her.

"We were looking everywhere for you!"

Lily rubbed her arm,

"I was catching up with Sev!"

Marley pouted,

"I thought you had ditched and I was stuck being the fifth wheel!"

Lily laughed and seeming to forget her worry, Marley tugged at the sleeve of Potter's jersey, lowering her voice and sending her a sly smile

"Looks good on you, Lil."

She shoved her friend away and scoffed. Marley giggled and rushed ahead when she saw Mary MacDonald. Students poured into the stadium, most wearing blue and bronze or red and gold but students from other houses showed as well. A group of first years practically tackled her with excitement and she tried not to blush as they fawned over Potter's dumb jersey.

They pushed through the crowd and found seats at the front of the stands giving them a clear view of the field. Lily sat next to Mary and Alice while Sirius and Peter ran up and down the stands, leading the Gryffindor's in a series of ridiculous cheers that even made Dumbledore laugh from his place in the stands.

Out of breath and grinning wildly, Sirius and Peter plopped down next to Lily as soon as the teams were flying in. The crowd went wild and Lily watched as Frank Longbottom flew close enough to the stands to give Alice a quick kiss on the cheek before flying away and earning a whistle from Sirius.

Lily found herself scanning the crowd for James Potter and her heart leapt when she saw him approach. A cocky grin was already plastered on his face and he was praying she notice the heart wrenching effect of seeing her in his jersey had on him.

"There's my girl!"

"I am not your girl, Potter."

"Really now? Because you've got my name on you."

She flipped him off, but couldn't help the grin on her face. He gave her a wink and blew Sirius and Peter a kiss before he flew to the middle of the field where Madame Hooch waited with the captain of the Ravenclaw team.

The game began.

* * *

Sirius and Peter followed Remus through the tunnel as he loosened his tie and limped quickly towards the Shrieking Shack. The musty earthy smell filled their senses as they made their way towards their monthly meeting spot.

Underground, they couldn't see full moon but Remus could feel it wanting to tear out of his skin. He could already feel the painful tug in his teeth and nails.

"We have to go deep into the forest. There's a match tonight so students might linger around there afterwards. Can't risk it."

Sirius nodded,

"Already on it. It helps that people are already pretty freaked out by whatever made an appearance earlier this week."

"Small blessings, I guess."

Remus shoved the door open with his shoulder and Sirius and Peter followed, closing the door behind them.

* * *

James glanced the moon as he weaved through the darkness. The game stretched on and on and he prayed that Simon Wood would just catch the bloody snitch already. He hated missing out their monthly adventure through the woods and felt the usual guilt associated with taking such pleasure out of his friend's nightmare.

A bludger flew by his left ear and pulled him from his thoughts in time for him to intercept the quaffle thrown by one of the Ravenclaw chasers. He heard the Gryffindor stands go wild, catching a flash of red hair out of the corner of his eye as he carried it towards the goals.

Lily gripped the railing as she watched the game. Gryffindor held onto the lead but it was incredibly close. So incredibly close that she could hardly believe it when Sirius and Peter had left right after James scored the tiebreaking goal.

Beside her, Marley was jumping with excitement,

"GO!"

If Lily leaned any further over the railing, she'd fall to her death, but she couldn't take her stupid eyes off of James Potter on his stupid broom. The stands shook under the cheering crowd like a pounding heart beneath her feet. Lily couldn't contain herself

"GO POTTER!"

James threw the quaffle into the center goal just out of the Ravenclaw keeper's reach and though it was exciting, it couldn't compare to the relief that came when the snitch was caught just seconds later. Gryffindor cheered loudly as their team landed and shook hands with the Ravenclaw team. He looked once more for Lily in the crowd and found her smiling brightly at him. Cheeks and hair windblown, wrapped warm in his jersey with eyes shining.

God she was so beautiful.

Even the game wasn't as thrilling as Lily Evans finally smiling at him like that. He smiled right back and mouthed a "thank you" before disappearing into the locker room.

* * *

Lily, Alice, and Marley made their way through the crowd. The first years waited outside of the locker rooms, enamored by their first Hogwarts Quidditch match. She already knew it was going to be impossible to round them up afterwards but she couldn't help but smile as they walked past. Finally the players flooded out.

All except for one

Frank Longbottom scooped up Alice and planted a happy kiss on her lips. Dorcas gave Lily and Marley a sweaty hug. Lily's eyes flickered again to the locker room exit

"Did you see Potter in there?"

As soon as it came out of her mouth, she regretted it. The group looked at her in confusion. Dorcas shrugged,

"He left in a hurry. Gave us a "Good job. See you at practice." And left. Something about not feeling well? I'm just glad he kept it together for the game."

Lily nodded, confused by the amount of disappointment she felt. It's not like she didn't see his stupid face every day around school. Finally, she left the group, promising to join them later in the common room for a party, and help the attending prefects catch any stragglers.

* * *

"Alright you can head back to the castle. I'm going to check the locker rooms really quick. Remember to do your rounds before heading to bed."

Usually the Head Girl and Boy checked the locker room after games but Remus was still out of commission.

The only sound was the dripping from the showers locker room and quiet splash of her feet on the tiles. Tension coiled in her as she walked through

"Help! Help me!"

The scream tore through the locker room and Lily ran to the bathroom stalls, armed with her wand. Her heart pounded as she pulled open the first door and saw nothing.

"Help! Please! Someone!"

She continued to do the same, the scream ringing in her ears as she kicked open each door only to find nothing but the toilet. Finally, she knocked open the last one and again saw nothing

"Please help!"

Her eyes searched frantically and fell on a frog. It opened its mouth,

"Help!"

Thick, warm liquid poured over her head and she was drenched. For a moment, she stood still in surprise until she wiped her face and looked at her hands covered in the red. She knew what it was before the metallic smell hit her.

Blood

She wiped frantically at her eyes and pointed her wand around the room, ready for additional assault. When she found none, she ran to the sink, desperate to clean it from her face. Her hands shook as she splashed the blood from her eyes and mouth.

Looking into the mirror, she froze

MUDBLOOD

She reached out a hand and smeared the ugly word from the mirror, hot tears filling her eyes. She was furious and terrified. There was a war brewing in the wizarding world and it was leaking into the one place she thought she'd always be safe.

Hagrid walked her back to castle after she had knocked on his door. He gave her a blanket and fussed over her as they headed towards Dumbledore's office. She told Dumbledore and McGonagall about the cursed frog and was relieved to find that the blood belonged to a pig and not a human. When she had told them about the note, she saw the troubled look they shared and Lily wished she hadn't seen it. She had wanted them to shake their heads like they did with all the other pranks but they knew this was more than that.

It was a warning

When she finally left the office, she walked to her room and opened the portrait. The room was empty and she couldn't decide if it was a relief or disappointment, but either way, she started crying. She pulled the ruined jersey over her head and tossed it aside, eager to get it away from her. Finally, she made it to the shower and turned it on, steam pouring out as she stepped in.

…


	5. Chapter 5

Back on track! Happy Holidays, everyone! I saw a lot of beautiful Jily fanart on tumblr and I was inspired. I've reblogged it if you're curious. My tumblr is hoodieheroine. People are so talented, it truly kills me. Anyways, let me know how I'm doing! Take care and enjoy!

Best,

BBS

* * *

The sun was barely peeking over the horizon when the four boys walked across the dewy grass and back towards the castle. James rolled his shoulders trying to work out the knots in his back from running all night as a four legged animal. Next to him, Remus sighed

"No sign of anything able to tear a centaur in half."

They hadn't seen anything out of the ordinary during their run through the forest. Just the typical animals that resided there. The smell of pine and earth lingered among the four boys.

"I don't know about that. Wormtail looks like he's been working out."

James smirked as Remus rolled his eyes at Sirius' joke, but then laughed as Sirius convinced Peter to give him a piggy back ride

"Onward my noble stallion!"

"I'm _this_ close to throwing you off"

James smiled at his friends, but thoughts of Lily Evans stirred up feelings of guilt. He had a lot of groveling to do to make up for ditching her after the game. He thought of her smiling down at him and groaned, rubbing his eyes under his glasses

He was such a prick

It would be so much easier if he could tell her the truth

 _Listen, Evans. The whole time while you were wearing my jersey, all I could think about was taking it off of you, but my best friend is a werewolf so I had to turn into a fucking deer and frolic with him and my other two unregistered animagi friends which is why I couldn't snog you senseless after the game like I had really really wanted to._

That wouldn't do at all

* * *

After a shower and change of clothes, they walked into the Great Hall where several students and teachers sat eating breakfast at their respective tables. Sunday breakfast was the best at Hogwarts and often coaxed students out of bed earlier than usual. His eyes searched the Gryffindor table for a certain red head and couldn't help the frown when he didn't see her there.

The four boys sat at the table, filling their plates when Marley McKinnon joined them. James noticed the troubled look at her face

"Did you hear what happened to Lily?"

James' hand paused as it reached for the plate of pancakes, his heart dropping as a horrible feeling of dread washed over him

"W-what?"

"After the game yesterday, she was checking the locker room by herself," she shot Remus a look as he paled before continuing, "and someone had charmed a frog into sounding like someone in trouble and Lily went to help and a bucket of pig's blood was dropped on her. On the mirror someone had written…" she shifted uncomfortably in her seat and lowered her voice, "'mudblood'. It was obviously a threat so if you hear anything…"

James was already on his feet, his heart pounding wildly in his chest. His friends looked up at him questioningly

"I need to…I'm going to see if she's okay."

Marley scowled at him,

"As if she'd want to see you, Potter. You're the one who ditched her after the game."

Her words were a slap to the face as the truth stung him painfully. If he had been there…He practically sprinted from the Hall hearing the girl yell after him

"Good luck finding her! She hasn't been in her room all morning!"

He felt the weight of the map in his pocket

* * *

Lily sat in her spot at the far corner of the library, regretting that she had finished the rest of her muggle whiskey during her last crisis. By the rate things were going this year, she was going to have to invest in a few emergency bottles. The Prophet sat next to her, its headline glaring up at her

 **MUGGLEBORN MINISTRY WORKER FOUND MURDERED**

She dropped her head into her hands, her eyes burning with tears. Her parents had written her asking how school was going and she told them everything was fine and there certainly was _not_ a war brewing in her world where she was a target of hatred and violence. Nope that was definitely not a thing, mom and dad.

She could still smell the blood on her skin

A sob broke through her and she dropped her head into her arms as her shoulders shook

"Evans?"

James watched as she wiped her eyes furiously, refusing to look him in the eye. He felt his heart clench painfully at the sight

"What do you want, Potter?"

"I heard what happened"

His eyes flickered to the newspaper sitting next to her and he bent down to pick it up before sitting next to her on the ground. They sat there quietly before she finally spoke

"I'm scared, James"

He looked up from the headline and into her eyes shiny with tears.

Lily wanted to take back the words as soon as she had said them but they were out there and she wondered what James Potter would do with them.

She hadn't expected him to wrap his arms around her and pull her towards him. James felt her stiffen under him and almost pulled away when she gripped him back tightly. Lily closed her eyes as his hands rubbed small comforting circles on her back. They sat like that for a while, not saying anything as she rested her cheek against his chest and ignored the fact that she was practically sitting in his lap because it felt nice and she desperately needed to feel nice

As time passed, James became increasingly aware of every part of his body that was in contact with the girl in his arms, noting how warm she was and the flowery smell that surrounded her. Since that night in the kitchens, he often thought about how close she was to him that night as he carried her. He had long decided he liked the feeling of Lily Evans in his arms.

Finally she spoke but stayed in her spot for which James was extremely grateful

"You disappeared after the game."

He was the absolute worst and he wondered if this was where she'd finally pull away

"I know. I'm so sorry, Lily."

 _Lily_

 _Lily_

 _Lily_

The sound of her name from his lips curled around her and she had the sudden desire to watch them speak again

She tilted her head up at him and he was very aware of how close her lips were to his. Merlin, if he wanted to count the freckles on her nose, he could've.

"A shame really," a smile spread across her lips with a familiar glint in her eyes, "I was going to give you a congratulation kiss."

James' heart leapt into his throat before his own grin spread across his face. He wondered if she knew she almost killed him

"It's never too late. We are in your personal snogging room."

He closed his eyes and leaned towards her with an open mouth and she squealed as she dodged out of the way and fell to the floor laughing,

"James Potter, I hope to God you don't kiss like that!"

He grinned down at her

"Maybe you should teach me then"

She scoffed and shoved her hand into his face to keep him from seeing her blush. He swatted it away and laughed before his stomach growled loudly. Lily raised an eyebrow and gestured towards the noise

"Hungry?"

His stomach growled again and she stood up, offering him a hand

"Come on. Let's get some food. Some arrogant twat and his friends showed me the way to the kitchens."

James smiled at her and grabbed her hand before she pulled him up

"You forgot to add 'handsome'".

Lily stepped back and looked him over. She took in his smile, his eyes that sparkled with mischief behind his glasses, and his messy jet black hair as she tapped a finger to her chin and he waited

"No I didn't"

* * *

When Severus walked into the Slytherin common room, he saw Avery sitting next to Rosier played chess with Black, the latter with a smug smile on his face before moving his knight

"Checkmate"

Rosier groaned and moved his piece, watching as the knight smashed his queen to pieces. Severus sat next to Black and leaned back into the cushions. He'd been up all night, researching spell theories so he could make more of his own as they were proving to be a hit with his group. Mulciber walked over, grinning widely and Severus tried not to roll his eyes. The thicker boy was definitely his least favorite of his new friends

"Did you hear about what happened last night?"

Regulus looked bored as he set up another game of chess while the other two grinned back. Severus had a feeling he was missing out on something

"Did it work?"

Mulciber nodded and the other two burst into laughter.

"Help! Help me!"

"A fucking frog!"

Another round of laughter and Avery wiped the tears from his eyes

"W-who got hit? Oh my god please tell me it was a Gryffindor."

"Not just any Gryffindor Mudblood but _the_ Gryffindor Mudblood"

At that, Severus snapped, sitting up from the cushions

"What are you talking about?"

Regulus watched Severus curiously while Rosier glanced at the others before continuing

"Now before you get mad, she wasn't the specific target. It was charmed so that any Mudblood that walked through the door would," he started laughing again while Mulciber and Avery joined, "Would get covered in pig's blood."

Mulciber shrugged without a trace of remorse

"It just so happened to be your Mudblood that walked in. Sorry mate."

One part of him wanted to go find Lily and make sure she was okay but larger part told him that was not a good idea. He felt Regulus watching him, waiting for his reaction. Severus shrugged and opened the book in his lap

"A little blood never hurt anyone."

Regulus nodded his approval at him and smirked before turning to his game. Behind his indifference, Severus was fuming. Even if they hadn't meant to attack her, she was still a victim to their idiocy. As his new group continued talking and playing chess, he couldn't decide whether or not he should go find Lily and make sure she was okay.

Surely she was fine, right? It was like he said: a little blood never hurt anyone. Plus, Lily was tougher than anyone he knew. He imagined her rolling her eyes if she knew how much he was worried about her and he felt himself begin to relax.

"Severus," he looked at Regulus who nodded away from the group, "a word?"

Relaxation over.

He nodded and stood up, following the younger Black brother into his dorm. His eyes ran over the perfectly made bed and the classic décor. It didn't look like a sixteen year old's room at all. Though Regulus didn't act like a teenager at all either.

"Are you upset with us?"

The question jerked Severus from his observations and he stared back at the younger Slytherin who held an uncharacteristically concerned look on his face. He could lie and tell him that he wasn't upset but he had a feeling that Regulus would somehow know. He couldn't very well tell the truth either. He knew how his friends felt about muggleborns. He searched for an adequate response but found none. Regulus stepped towards him, looking more like the unsure boy he was supposed to be and less like the stoic man he was

"I promise it was just a gentle reminder inside of a harmless prank. Messier than I had wanted but Avery and Mulciber swore it'd make a statement," a small laugh escaped him before he looked at him apologetically, "I really am sorry it was _your_ Mudblood had to be made an example of."

He hated that he called Lily that even if he referred to her as his

"I really don't want to lose you as a friend, Severus."

He hoped to Merlin that Regulus didn't see the way the word 'friend' had wrapped around his heart and squeezed. It was no secret that his was severely lacking in the friend department. Not even Lily was purely a friend. She was an entirely different category. For the first time ever, someone stood before him and not only called him their friend but that they didn't want to lose him.

The words fell easily from his mouth

"You won't."

A grin spread across his friend's face, making him look younger and all the doubt Severus had felt was washed away.

* * *

In a past life, Lily Evans had done something horrible or else she wouldn't be currently partnered with Nathan Mulciber in her Creatures course. Professor Kettleburn smiled at them brightly as if he hadn't just screwed her over big time. Didn't he know hostility when he saw it? This was exactly why the man only had six fingers left.

"Okay, you know the drill. I want you to gather plants around the castle grounds that you know are edible for the creatures you read about in chapter three.

James looked across the circle and spotted a very pissed off looking Lily and a very smug Mulciber. It would've been funny except for the fact that the Slytherin hated her blood status while also eyeing her with hunger. He felt a tight coil of tension build inside of him.

He did not like the look in the boy's eyes one bit

He glanced at his own partner.

Surely Frank would understand that they needed to follow the duo closely.

The class split off into their assigned pairs and Lily glanced at her partner while pulling on her gloves

"Want to split up? We can cover more ground."

 _Please say yes. Please say yes._

The Slytherin shrugged, ignorant of her internal begging

"I didn't read chapter three"

 _Of course you fucking didn't_

Lily just nodded and began walking towards the edge of the forest

"There's some mushrooms just inside here that I know are edible for a few of the creatures…" she trailed off as the forest loomed closer. Mulciber watched her expectedly and Lily realized she very much didn't want to go in there with him of all people. He must've read her mind because a grin stretched across his face and she immediately wanted to punch it off

"Scared, Lily Evans?"

She snorted and pushed ahead, sticks snapping under her feet

"Do you think about it often?"

She kicked a pile of leaves, searching for the mushrooms

"Think about what often?"

"That centaur you found."

The blank eyes flashed before her and she pushed it away, bending down to pluck a mushroom from the earth and dropping it into the bucket he was carrying

"Sometimes."

She continued to walk, hearing his steps fall behind her and becoming more and more aware of the weight of her wand in her robes

"What do you think did it?"

His closeness did nothing to calm her nerves as she reached up and plucked a particular leaf from a tree, carefully examining the veins that ran through it. The other centaurs in the forest refused to work with the ministry, determined to keep the matter between members of their own species. She only knew this because of Hagrid

"It looks like it was probably a…disagreement with another centaur."

Finding silence to be unnerving with this man, she continued,

"What do you think?"

As she waited for his answer, she crouched down and pulled a bulb from the ground. A shadow cast over her and she looked up and saw that he was much closer.

"It was definitely a human"

His proximity caused her to fall back and her hand instinctively went for her wand. Mulciber just grinned at her with her wand at his chest. Her heart pounded wildly as he stood over her, his hand pointing his own wand to her face

"Do it, Evans. See what happens."

"Evans!"

They jerked their attention towards James Potter and Frank Longbottom who walked towards them with purpose and with their wands in their hands. The usual grin was gone from James' face as he glanced between her on the ground and the man looming over her,

"Everything okay?"

Lily lowered her wand and tucked it back into her robes and Mulciber did the same although he still stood over her scowling at the intruders

"What the fuck do you want, Potter?"

"Back away from her, Mulciber."

There was a pause as James watched the Slytherin calculate his chances being outnumbered before he backed away. The air was suddenly breathable again as he left her space and she pulled herself to her feet. The grin reappeared on Mulciber's face as he offered her the bucket.

She grabbed it from him, yanking it away as his fingers purposefully brushed against hers

"Until next time, Miss Evans."

He walked past her and walked over to James, his voice low enough only for him to hear

"We did tell you not to let us catch her alone again."

James felt his blood boil and he began to reach for his wand before Frank stopped him

"Not worth it, mate."

The Slytherin pushed past the duo and out of the forest

The red in his vision faded as he watched her wipe the dirt and grass from her robes with shaking hands. He would make Mulciber pay for whatever he did. His mind wandered to what could've happened if he and Frank hadn't showed up and the desire to hold her overwhelmed him.

Lily watched as James approached her, looking for any signs of injury.

"Are you okay? He didn't…"

She rolled her eyes

"I'm fine, Potter."

"He had his wand pointed at you…"

"And I had my want pointed at him! I don't need you to be my bloody hero!" she snapped and immediately regretted it when she saw the look on James' face.

She had hurt him and she hated herself for it

She walked closer to him, worrying for a moment that he'd turn away

"James, I didn't mean that. I'm just…" she reached out and grabbed his hand, holding it as she looked at him, "Thank you for helping me."

He wondered if she could somehow sense how fast his heart was beating. It was just another one of those moments where he wanted to kiss her. He marveled how quickly she could mend him with just a simple touch of her hand

Again he thought of how much of an effect her lips on his would have on him.

His lips on her jaw

Her neck

Down

Down

Down

"Frank helped too."

That was what came out of his mouth.

 _What the fuck, Potter_

He listened as she laughed and cast her beautiful green eyes towards his partner as he thought about burrowing under the ground

"Thank you too, Frank."

The other Gryffindor winked at her

"Be sure to tell Alice how gallant I was."

Another laugh not directed at him. He looked down at her hand in his wondering when she'd come to her senses and pull it away.

 _Don't you do it, Evans_

"Will do."

Frank turned away to lead them out of the forest and James pulled her along. Lily looked down at her hand clasped in James'. Although she blushed wildly as they walked, she didn't let go right away but rather stared at their hands.

James Potter had nice hands

Her mind flashed back to how they felt when he held her in the library.

Yes, very nice hands.

She liked how they wrapped around her smaller paler hands.

" _I got you,"_ they said

She liked that very much


End file.
